Historical records paint a vivid picture of what was once a fortified settlement. The Annals of Connacht tell us that in 1417, Lissardowlan Castle, which sat outside the bawn’s protective walls, went up in flames. Later documentation from 1609 describes a thriving complex; a land grant from that year specifically mentions ‘the castle, bawne, town and lands of Lisserdawle otherwise Lisserdowle’, giving us multiple spellings of this ancient place name.

Today, visitors won’t find any visible traces of the bawn itself, those defensive walls that would have enclosed a courtyard and provided protection for the castle’s inhabitants and their livestock. Instead, historians believe the bawn likely corresponds with the bailey that was attached to the motte at Lissardowlan. This makes perfect sense when you consider how medieval fortifications evolved; many mottes had baileys, which were essentially fortified enclosures that served the same defensive purpose as the later bawns that became common across Ireland.

The transformation of terminology from bailey to bawn reflects the changing nature of Irish fortifications over time, as Norman defensive structures gave way to later medieval Irish strongholds. While the physical remains may have vanished, the documentary evidence compiled by researcher Caimin O’Brien in December 2012 ensures that this piece of Longford’s medieval past hasn’t been entirely lost to time.